African American Contemporary

Reese Moore is a member of Greater Hope Worship Center and a member of the women’s ministry. She made some mistakes early in life and now she is left to raise her eight-year-old son Kase alone. Her dreams of being a lawyer have been put on hold as she struggles to juggle her responsibilities. When Reese finds a new fortune with her friends, she thinks it’s the answer to her problems, but it’s only the beginning. Joy Winters has been living with the consequences of a decision she made that changed her relationship with her daughter Kassidy and her ex-husband Roman does nothing to make ...

In Mr. Committed, you find the power of second chances, the beauty of God's grace, and the undeniable magic of love. Connor Malloy, a/k/a Mr. Committed, has devoted his life to serving God and staying on the right path. A compelling dream tempts him to revisit a forbidden road from his past. He's now face-to-face with a life-altering choice that tests his faith and commitment to God. Katie Landry—not ready for love, but with an intuitive sense, she recognizes a good man when she sees one. Drawn to Connor by how he loves others, Katie wonders if she's worthy of his love. Yet, she knows a ...

Carol has made some big moves since her divorce from Wallace. She’s become a nurse, runs the Strong’s Family Clinic, and now, she’s ready for love. Baxter, her date to Wallace’s reception, is a handsome, rich, retired Airman but something is not there. Carol wants a love to call her own, but she refuses to settle just for the sake of having a man. So, while her friends are left to wonder about Baxter and her, she’s putting more time into talks with Carlotta (her only daughter), and her best friend Isha. She’s beautiful, seemingly smart, and has such a wonderful sense of humor. ...

Seven years ago, Mckayla, the woman of Ray’s dreams, abruptly disappeared the same day a member of his family was killed in a hit and run accident. When she resurfaces out of the blue engaged to his cousin (Shawn), Ray struggles with letting her go and focusing on his job as Chief of Staff to his father, Governor Walt Rucker. Shawn makes the separate startling discovery that the families of him and his and his new fiancée are already tied together deeper than their nuptials could stich them, and he decides to keep it to himself for the time being. After a by chance run-in, Ray and ...

Can a good girl find love in a thug? For Lei Fifer, that’s the hundred-thousand-dollar question. When Lei, an introverted homebody, invites her girls over for a spa day, she isn’t expecting their conversation to shift to men in prison. As an advocate for rehabilitated people receiving the love, companionship, and support those who haven’t committed crimes receive, Lei doesn’t hesitate to put her money where her mouth is and bet that she can find a good friend or great love with someone through the pen pal program her father created.

Loving hard doesn’t do anyone any good when the love isn’t reciprocated. If Rondo Simpson could have a do-over in his love life, he would jump at the opportunity. The woman he’s loved for over ten years has committed the ultimate betrayal and has convinced him that love just isn’t in the cards for him. Even attempts at love before her seemed to be one-sided and left him heartbroken. However, unexpectedly, the type of woman he’s been longing for walks into his life when everything is in disarray, stealing his attention from the word go.

Harlow Shaw feels naïve for believing in happily ever afters, but she craves a love that lights her up. She thinks she has it all with her boyfriend—Until his promising baseball career overshadows their relationship, and he asks her a life-changing question. It causes her to wonder if what they have is all she ever truly wanted. Harlow is yearning for more than the curated life she is living. A trip to Bali, a move to Seattle, and an alleged burned cup of coffee lead her to a friendship she didn't know she needed and a love so deep she can feel it in her bones.

Kamille appears to have it all. As the owner of a successful business, her funds are unlimited. However, her professional life is the only thing that seems to be working in her favor. Aside from her Ari, best friend, Kamille's social life is nonexistent. As her family vacation nears, Kamille is excited until her cousins point out that she's going solo. Kamille doesn't have a problem with being single, but she gets tired of it being thrown in her face. Ari suggests Kamille uses an upscale escort service. Kamille isn't sold on the idea, but eventually takes her advice.

Tori is known for her sassy attitude and having men on her own terms. She’s currently dating Marcus, a handsome guy that’s new to the city, and she has purposely placed Donald in the dreaded friend zone. Everything is perfect in her world of orchestrated dating until Marcus’s secret comes to light and Donald turns up the heat. What will Tori decide when matters of the heart begin to dismantle her perfectly curated dating life? Join Tori as she navigates the ups and downs of dating while she decides if someone borrowed or someone new is best for her.

Every family has a bad seed; the Sasani clan has many! "Dayum, Cyrus is dangerous, his sister is reckless, his parents are ruthless and I'm an emotional mess. Kudos to S.W. Frank for masterful storytelling that had me unsettled, comforted and awestruck." Nora K. Grief is a killer- ask Cyrus Sasani. Today marks two years he has mourned his wife and daughter. But, on this second solemn anniversary, a promise made to the living is broken to honor the dead. Later, Cyrus must confess his deed to the family, but the matriarch of the clan, Baba Azmir already knows and he will use the information ...

Della: perfectionist token-black ballerina... Miles McKinnon: black-sheep billionaire... The chemistry: unlike anything either has ever felt... Disoriented by a week in Paris and a tough proposition, there's this mystique of not quite knowing what's real or facade. Love will come up against the things they hold most dear, like Della's chance to overcome racial bias in ballet and make history. Nothing is gained without something lost. For love, the stakes are as high as ever.

For Cypher Hall, being the mother to twin boys is far from easy. She has to work two jobs just to keep her head above water, and she still often feels like she's drowning. She hasn't been in a relationship since her kids' father eight years ago, and she's started to realize that Prince Charming may never ride up on his white horse and save her. Cypher never imagined that getting a tattoo for her birthday would ultimately change the course of her life forever.

Dash Everly aka D-Roc, to his fans, is living his dreams. Growing up in the projects wasn't easy, but the scars of his past fueled his drive for success. It's all falling into place, but something's missing. Some unexpected news leads him back to the woman who left a mark on his heart all those years ago. He's determined to stake his claim regardless of her circumstances.

Mary Monroe is the author of Essence best-sellers including The Upper Room. Here, she examines the emotional webs that are woven between friends, lovers, and families. Carmen Taylor is absolutely dependable; she feels responsible for everyone she knows. It will take one reckless night to make Carmen realize that she might be able to lay her burdens down and take a chance on real happiness.

Sienna Shaw thought she’d found forever when she met the wealthy and charming Tyir Willis. For months, Tyir wined, dined, and wooed Sienna until she agreed to relocate to be closer to him. In the blink of an eye, Sienna’s would-be fairytale love is snatched away. Being a single mother was never on Sienna’s list of things to do. When her prince charming turned out to be a frog, she’s left to figure out how to navigate through motherhood alone.

Anissa Dent is experiencing heartbreak like none she’s ever felt. Her husband of nearly twenty years has fallen victim to crack cocaine after a devastating loss. All her efforts to help him have failed, and to protect herself and her sons, she divorces him and has him removed from their home. That doesn’t stop him from popping in and out of their lives with promises of getting clean. Anissa desperately wants to move on in her life, but her love for what once was is holding her back. However, attending a family barbeque with her son proves to be the restart she desperately needs.

The Freedom Brothers are first cousins who built a brotherly bond while growing up in their grandmother's home in Terror Town. Epic, Angel, and Bishop Freedom eventually matured from little boys to men who run the blocks of the East Side of Chicago neighborhood. Women love them, and men want to be them. Yet, this story about the Freedom Brothers is far from your typical hood tale.

For a place that just won an award for Best Small Town, Peachtree Cove sure has a big rumor mill. And Tracey Thompson is tired of being at the center of it. She’s worked hard to make her bed-and-breakfast a success—only to have her soon-to-be ex’s very public affair with her business partner result in a shocking pregnancy…and the biggest scandal around.

Ten years ago, Sheila Moore pushed Nicholas Washington out of her life because of her need to control and her inability to believe that she was worth loving. In the last book of the Prodigal series, Sheila returns more mature and the mother of two teens. Nicholas returns to Charleston to teach and reclaim the woman of his heart, but is she ready to accept his love?

Lyra Hart, a teacher’s assistant working her way through college, lives a simple life. Her sister Natalie is a constant reminder that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. After a lifelong trail of arrests and stints in rehab, Natalie lands on her sister’s doorstep with a promise not to end up like their mother, who overdosed just a few years prior. Lyra’s first mistake was trusting her younger sister. Her second was the one-night stand she thought would drown her sorrows.